Moving and Growing

I'll tell you what - these kids just get sweeter and more fun every single day. Even today, we're taking it easy, because we've had a cold making its way around the family, and Steven has a double ear infection, but he's the sweetest, most cheerful little patient you ever met.

In fact, I wasn't even sure whether to take him to the doctor, because I was waiting for some droopiness or crankiness, and he just never has acted out of sorts at all. Right now, he and Eleanor are playing some sort of keep-away game they're making up with a set of stacking cups. Frequently, these games end up with one of them sitting on the other...

They had a wonderful Christmas. Eleanor pulled up to standing by herself for the first time on Christmas day!

Our playroom is so well stocked now, although of course Eleanor only wants to play with dog toys and power cords. It doesn't matter how many toys are out, she'll make a beeline for whatever the dogs have brought in. She's certainly adventurous - she loves to climb on anything she can, so I've been trying to make sure everything she has access to is safe and anchored.

Steven seems to have a real ear for music. He and Aunt Abbey like to play a pitch-matching game, where she sings and he tries to sing the note back to her, and he loves to dance along with music. Right now, we're watching Mary Poppins, and he's dancing along to the "Step In Time" chimney-sweep song. Both kids love all the musical toys they got for Christmas - a toy piano and tambourine, in particular, are huge hits.

I've started thinking about ideas for their birthday party - I can't believe they'll be 9 months old tomorrow!